Lack of funds for key schemes: HealthMin now seeks R50K cr

In the revised estimates, the allocation has been pruned to Rs 24,500 crore bringing the total health spend in the first three years of the 12th five-year plan to Rs 70,000 crore, way below the 2,68,000 crore allocation given in the plan document. The department of Ayush, meanwhile, has asked for a more than six-fold raise in allocation from Rs 400 crore last year to Rs 2,700 crore.

Days after the prime minister, in a review meeting, stressed on the strengthening of existing systems rather than ambitious announcements, health minister JP Nadda made it clear that the vision of National Health Assurance Mission has got more to do with assurance of services than with additional financial commitments. Officials in the ministry say indications are clear that there will be no dramatic hike in social sector spendings.

Of the Rs 50,000 crore, a demand for Rs 40,000 crore has been sent for the National Health Mission alone. Under the 12th Plan there was a proposed allocation of Rs 1.93 thousand crore for the flagship health programme of which only around Rs 53,000 crore has been spent so far.

“The primary reason we need the extra money is to get at least the free drugs and diagnostics scheme off the ground. Right now states are doing it in some form but since there is no central scheme it runs on their whims… We are not looking at pilots for NHAM because there is already sufficient learning available, if we get the funds the scheme can roll out,” said an official.